Bathing-suit ob



J. M. COMBS.

BATHING SUIT 0R LIFE PRESERVER.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 5. l9l8.

Patented Aug. 26, 1919.

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INVENTOR- JW at amzw by a,- aw

JAMES M. COMBS,

or AKRON, OHIO.

BATHING-SUIT 0R LIFE-PRESERVER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 26, 1919.

Application filed December 5, 1918. Serial No. 265,368.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES M. CoMBs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Akron, in the county of Summit and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Im provements in Bathing-Suits or Life-Preservers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in inflatable bathing suits or life preservers so constructed that when inflated sufiicient buoyancy is afforded by the suit so as to sustain a person in the water. The device embodies a slip-on suit provided with an opening for the neck and the arms and legs and divided into a pluraliy of compart ments capable of being substantially simultaneously inflated whereby the proper dis placement is obtained for floating a person in the water;

An object of the invention is to provide a suit of the type described comprising a plurality of separate compartments all connected, said suit comprising'a pair of spaced walls of substantially water or air proof material, and provided with an inflating tube by whichthe inflation of the suit is secured.

Furthermore, an object is to provide a suitable pocket on the garment within easy reach of the wearer wherein the inflating tube may be stored when not in use to ermit the compact folding up of the suit w hen deflated.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts constituting the invention to be hereinafter specifically described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof wherein is shown the preferred embodiment of the invention, but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications can be resorted to which come within the scope of the matter hereinafter claimed.

In thegdrawings in which similar reference numerals indicate like parts in the ditferen figures,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a combined bathing suit and life. preserver embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged front elevation of the upper portion of the suit shown in Fig. 1, to

' better illustrate the construction of the same.

Fig. 3 is a similar view taken'below the view shown in Fig. 2, and

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the device shown in Fig. 1.

The suit which comprises the present invention is fashioned in the general conventional form of a bathin suit provided with an opening 1 for the nee of the wearer, arm openings 2 and leg openings 3 and is open along the front from the crotch to the neck, the two side members of which are capable of being secured togetherb fastening means such as buttons 4:. The entire suit comprises inner and outer walls 5 and 6 respectively which are fastened together by spaced rows of stitchin to form a plurality of compartments pre erably arranged so that the rows of stitching extend longitudinally of the en tire garment and also transversely thereby providing substantially square compartments over the entire device. To illustrate briefly the construction of the upper portions of the garment is provided with a plurality of spaced vertical rows of stitching 7- and a plurality of transverse or longitudinal spaced rows of stitching 8 which intersect the rows of stitching 7 to thereby divide the garment into spaces or compartments 9. This is better illustrated in Fig. 2 wherein the stitching is shown enlarged and it will be pointed out that at the intersections of of the longitudinal and circumferential rows of stitching the stitching is interrupted at points 10. These interruptions taking place at substantially all and the most conveniently arranged positions near the intersections of the stitching. The stitching between the two walls 5 and 6 is intended to form a substantially air tight joint or union to prevent the escape of air excepting through the openings 10 and at the same time to hold the two walls 5 and 6 together and to provide when the device is inflated a series of substantially elliptical com artments 11 (see Fig. 4). It is contemp ated that the interruptions in the stitching will occur so that the air forced into one compartment in the upper portion of the garment will flow through the interruptions in the stitching and gradually and almost simultaneously inflate them. One of the compartments, 12 for example, is provided with an inflating stem 13 to which is connected a flexible tube 14. Air may be forced through the tube 14 by the user of the device or by a suitable as desired, andjithe" lair flow into the various-compartments. gradually filling them, through thefconnecting openings between the compartments formed by the interruptions in the-stitchingforming the compartments. In order to cover the inflating stem 13 I provide a pocket 15 which isshown in Fig.1 in its permanent position and whichis bent away in Fig. 2 to show the position of theinflating tube. proximately thewaistline of the garment is "a j'circumferential wcompartment 16 which is I not interrupted longitudinal stitches but is formed bye-circumferential or horizontal stitches 17 spaced. apart to provide aloelt-j like compartment. The; interior of the chamber 16 connectswiththe compartments 1 above by means-of the interrupted stitching forming openings '18.: Below the c rcum 19 are formed inra similar manner and are ferential' compartment, 16 the compartments fashioned substantially the same as the com- V partme'nts above the member 16. At apoint approximately at the. upper ends of the leg portions of the garment thevwalls are divided into smaller compartments 20 by longitudinal stitching 21 and circumferential I stitching 22 that the compartmentsfrom leg portions of the device.

I f th'e up'per portions'of the legs of. the gar inent .toyitsv lower end are 3 considerably js'mallen than the compartments which are arranged around the waist and torso portion of the garment. 'Thestitching between fall of the compartments 19 is interrupted at egeach intersection of the rows of stitching'as at 23 to permit the air or'inflating fluid to pass downwardly into all the compartments of the garment. The inflatingafluid in the compartments 19 passes through openings 24'into the smaller compartments 20 inthe It is intended that the size of vthe compartments in cross section in the leg portions will be much smaller than those in the upper portion as less buoyancy is required for supportin the legs than *the chest or body portion 0 the wearer. In usethe inflation of the compartments above the circumferential compartment 16 causes them all to expandrapidly and the inflating fluid passing from the compartment 16 into the compartments 19 passes into the smaller compartments 20 in the leg portions so that while not precisely simultaneously inflated, the inflation is rapid and easily secured.

I claim, 7 v .1. A bathing suit or life preserver comprising a garment having inner and outer walls formed of approximately air proof material, said walls'united by rows'of stitch- At apa ing, said ,rows of stitching extending in spaced relation longitudinally and in'spaced relation circumferentially of the garment to divide said garment into compartments the boundaries of which are formed by said stitching, the intersections of the stitching between the walls being interrupted to permit the flow.of an inflating fluid between the various compartments whereby the introduction of a buoyancy fluid into a select ed compartment is enabled to pass to all portions of said garment. c

2. A bathing suit or life preserver com prising a garment having inner and outer walls formed of approximately air proof material, said walls united by rows of stitch-- ing, said rows of stitching extending in "spaced relation longitudinally and in spaced relation circumferentially of the garment to divide said garment into compartments the boundaries of which are formed by. said construction, spaced rows of longitudinal and circumferential stitching between the plies forming air receiving compartments, the rows of stitching in the leg portions being in close relationship, thereby to provide compartments of reduced size compared with the main body portion of the garment.

4:. A life preserver comprising. a garment having body and leg portions of double ply construction, spaced rows of longitudinal and circumferential stitching between the plies forming air receiving compartments, the longitudinal stitching being interrupted adjacent the waist line of the garment to provide a continuous air passage encircling the body, the intersectionsof the stitching being interrupted to provide communication between all of said compartments and waist line air passage, and inflating means associated with one of said compartments wherebyall of said compartments and waist line air passage aresimultaneously inflated.

In testimony whereof I have'hereunto set my hand.

' JAMES M. coMBs. 

